REFUGEE PORTRAITS | JORDAN & CALAIS

This exhibition collects portraits of refugees Hannah met while organising art projects in refugee camps in Jordan and Calais.

"Through my portrait paintings of refugees I seek to convey that each of us are created in the image of God and equally valuable in His eyes, regardless of race, religion, economic circumstance or social status. Let us seek to keep the borders of our heart open to those who are different from us. This is essential if we are to overcome the distorted agendas of violence and extremism that seek to divide us." Hannah Rose Thomas, from her speech in Scottish Parliament 13 June 2017

Syrian Refugee Woman

The artist met this Syrian woman inside Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan, home to 80,000 refugees.

Syrian Brother and Sister

The artist met this brother and sister in Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan. During one of the art projects Hannah organised, they painted their experience of the war – the images they painted of tanks, soldiers, dead bodies, and destroyed homes were only a small glimpse into the trauma they’d experienced.

Syrian Refugee Girl

A young Syrian girl involved in the art project inside Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan.

Syrian Girl Drawing

Syrian Grandmother

Refugee Mother and Child

A Syrian mother and child the artist met in Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan, while organising the art projects.

Syrian Girl in Azraq

One of the Syrian girls who took part in Hannah's art project in Azraq refugee camp in Jordan, April 2015.

Aya

A young girl named Aya the artist met in Za’atari village in Jordan in 2014. Her family fled to Jordan when their home in the Syrian city Homs was destroyed. The Islimi design is drawn from 16th century ceramic tiles made in Damascus.

Refugee in Red Snood

A refugee living in the Sudanese community in the Calais camp; their shelters were torn down in the destruction of large areas of the ‘Jungle’ in March 2016.

Abdul-Rahman

In December 2015, while volunteering in the Calais ‘Jungle’, Hannah met Syrian Abdul-Rahman. Abdul is 15 years old; three years ago, he was at school, living at home with his family in Syria. Tragically, Abdul lost his whole family in an airstrike. He made the dangerous journey to Calais alone, hoping to be reunited with his only living relative in the UK.

Mohammad

Mohammad, a refugee from Darfur, whom the artist met in the Calais Jungle. For his portrait he is standing outside his shelter and home for the last four months. In his hands is his most treasured possession; a colouring book containing his beautiful Arabic poetry. One of his poems is included in this portrait painting and describes his flight from war in Sudan:

Mohammad is a refugee from Darfur who had been living in the Jungle for ten months. His hands were battered and swollen from clashes with the police, often involving tear gas. The Arabic graffiti around him reads ‘freedom’, ‘dignity’ and ‘humanity’.

Iranian Man

The artist met this young Iranian man in the Calais Jungle, patiently waiting in the bitter cold outside a makeshift clinic in the camp